title: Indications and findings at colonoscopy in Ilorin, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colonoscopy is a safe and effective means of visual inspection of the large bowel from the distal rectum to the caecum. It may be carried out for diagnostic and or therapeutic reasons. There is a paucity of data on this procedure in Nigeria. We, therefore, determined the indications, findings, and diagnostic yield in Nigerians at colonoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study carried out at the Endoscopy unit of Crescent hospital, Ilorin from January 2010 to May, 2012. The endoscopy register was reviewed, and the biodata, indications and colonoscopic findings were recorded on a pro forma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 103 patients had colonoscopy. Seventy (68.0%) were males while 33 (32.0%) were females. The indications for colonoscopy were rectal bleeding 41 (39.8%), suspected colon cancer 32 (31.1%), chronic constipation and chronic diarrhoea nine each (8.7%), abdominal/anal pain five (4.9%), suspected anorectal cancer and enterocutaneous fistula two each (1.9%), faecal incontinence, occult gastrointestinal bleeding, post-colostomy for Hirschsprung disease one each (1.0%). Endoscopic findings were normal findings 21 (20.4%), diverticulosis 17 (16.5%), polyps 16 (15.5%), haemorrhoids 16 (15.5%), anorectal cancer 13 (12.6%), angiodysplasia 12 (11.7%), colon cancer eight (7.8%), colitis 7 (6.8%), anorectal ulcer 4 (3.9%), anal warts two (1.9%), anal fissure, caecal tumour, faecal impaction and proctitis one each (1.0%). The diagnostic yield was 79.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The commonest indication for colonoscopy was rectal bleeding, while the most frequent pathology was diverticulosis. The diagnostic yield was high.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Abdulfatai Bamidele
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Olokoba
authors.forename: Olusegun Ayodeji
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Obateru
authors.forename: Mathew Olumuyiwa
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Bojuwoye
authors.forename: Samuel Adegboyega
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Olatoke
authors.forename: Oladimeji Akeem
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Bolarinwa
authors.forename: Lateefat Bukola
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Olokoba
keywords: Colonoscopy; Nigerians; findings; indications; yield